Wooden Jaws

Snap! The spring pinched down hard. I jumped sideways—then froze. Dead still. Nothing moved. Just the warm red bricks beneath my soles. I crept closer, murmuring softly. A weathered wooden clothespin, lying alone beside the planter box. I grabbed the split ends with both paws and squeezed with everything I had. It creaked. Gaped wide! Ha! I shoved a sturdy sprig of trailing ivy right between its teeth and let go. Chomped tight! Now it grips the stem like a tiny wooden sentinel. Standing guard over my path. Magnificent hold.